When I was in Los Angeles last week I was lucky enough to get to spend a few hours with one of my favorite friends who is currently living in Brentwood. Adorably she had already preselected a few restaurant menus to show me, very giddy about taking me somewhere new. I am continually overjoyed to discover people look forward to being part of these blogging adventures.
We looked at all the menus, but she had me at, "Well, there's this one place where Barack Obama has all his LA fundraisers." Yes, I'd like to go there please.
So off we went to a Tavern on San Vicente Boulevard. The entrance to the restaurant is quite charming. They have a sign that gives a farm-to-table vibe. It hangs directly over their potted lime tree.
The restaurant has three parts - the bakery in the front, the bar in the middle and the formal dining room in the back (where I imagine Barack sits). We walked straight to the back and when we entered the room I was amazed. The space has magnificent sky lights which drench the room in sun. Snaking between the tables are leafy green trees.
I love that even though you're eating inside, you feel like you're outside.
The dining room has a few kinds of seating arrangements, one of which includes these handsome leather banquets. They are so smooth, they look like butter.
There are also tables with love seats and arm chairs, adding a sophistication and elegance to the room.
We were seated at the table in the dead center of the room. Our waitress, who was excellent, immediately brought us bread and butter. The bread was my favorite kind - crunchy crust on the outside and a doughy center. The square plate with butter also came garnished with sea salt.
We were rather hungry so we each ordered something to start. My friend ordered the summer squash and raved, "The squash was crispy and tasted strongly of onion and garlic with a lovely hint of lemon."
I ordered the little gem salad and I really wanted to taste the richness of the buttermilk dressing and the avocado, but the spices mixed in with the dressing had too much zing.
For dinner I ordered the grilled cheese with tomato which arrived looking positively glorious! It had just the right amount of crisp on the outside and the melted cheese was spilling out of the sides.
The sandwich came with a side of French fries. Much to my surprise and delight the fries were tossed with both sage and rosemary. They were cut thin and were perfectly golden.
My friend requested the burger with no bun and no cheese and they were very accommodating. She said, "This burger is amazing. It's Niman Ranch beef. I like my burger crispy on the outside and pink on the inside. This was a dream burger."
Tavern does have dessert, but after all those yummy rounds we were just too full.
If you find yourself in Brentwood, definitely make a point of visiting Tavern. The restaurant is beautiful, the staff are very well trained and friendly, and the food is fantastic. Did I mention the president eats here?
